AMA News and Notes: March 2016

March 01, 2016

AMA News & Notes is a monthly publication compiled and edited by the American Motorcyclist Association Government Relations Department. Designed to inform motorcyclists of rights-related issues and events in the United States and around the world.

National and Regional News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would designate five existing off-highway-vehicle recreation areas encompassing 142,000 acres in the California desert as permanent Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Areas. The Desert Conservation, Off-Road Recreation and Renewable Energy Act is a revised version of desert legislation the senator introduced in 2015, which also included the designation of three new national monuments. President Barack Obama used his authority under the American Antiquities Act of 1906 this month to designate the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow and Castle Mountains national monuments covering more than 1.8 million acres of California desert. And Feinstein pledged at that time to introduce legislation to address the aspects of her 2015 bill that the president did not include in his designations. Feinstein says her bill, introduced Feb. 23, “includes all of the carefully negotiated provisions from the bill introduced last year, minus the three monuments.” The bill includes permanent protection for five off-highway recreation areas covering 142,000 acres. Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, said the association is currently reviewing the merits of the Feinstein bill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Coalition for Recreational Trails is accepting nominations through April 4 for its 2016 achievement awards, which recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the federal Recreational Trails Program. Awards are scheduled for presentation on June 8. Projects must be completed to be eligible, but those finished before 2008 are not eligible for consideration. Complete details are available from Duane Taylor, director of federal affairs for the Motorcycle Industry Council and chairman of the coalition’s awards committee, at coalitionforrectrails@gmail.com or at (703) 416-0444.

State News

LUCERNE VALLEY, Calif. – Representatives of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management have scheduled a Resource Management Group meeting on April 2 to discuss land use in the Johnson Valley area, including the Marines’ plan for a large-scale exercise during the month of August that will occur on the shared-use area. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. till noon at the Lucerne Valley Community Center. More information is available from the public affairs office of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at smbplmswebpao@usmc.mil or at (760) 830-6213.

DENVER, Colo. – The state’s effort to make lane splitting legal for motorcyclists died on an 8-5 vote of the Transportation and Energy Committee of the legislature. Sponsor Gordon Klingenschmitt (R-Colorado Springs) told the Colorado press he was pleased the bill received as many positive votes as it did. Two major opponents of the bill were the committee chairman, Max Tyler (D-Lakewood) and the Colorado Highway Patrol. They claimed that not enough evidence was available to demonstrate that lane splitting is safe.

LINCOLN, Neb. – A bill to repeal the state’s mandatory motorcycle helmet law passed the state Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee by a 5-1 vote, and two senators immediately promised to filibuster efforts to get the bill through. State Sen. Dave Bloomfield (R-Hoskins) has made the bill his priority this session. The bill would allow riders 21 and older to choose whether to wear a helmet and would establish a brain injury trust fund, using a $19 hike in motorcycle registration fees.

JACKSON, Miss. – Motorcyclists would be allowed to use the shoulder of the road to proceed around “stalled traffic” under H.B. 109, introduced by state Rep. William Tracy Arnold (R-Booneville). The provision would apply if traffic is moving at a speed of less than 30 mph and the motorcycle travels no more than 10 mph faster than other traffic. The bill also would prohibit other motorists from impeding motorcyclists engaging in this maneuver.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin) that would exempt drivers and passengers 21 or older from the requirement to wear a helmet while operating or riding a motorcycle, if the person is covered by health or medical insurance other than insurance through TennCare, is stalled in the House Finance Committee while Reedy tries to answer questions from legislators. Reedy took the bill “off notice,” but said it is not dead this session. There will be no further consideration of the bill unless Reedy asks to bring it back up.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The ongoing effort to save the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway got support from state legislators in February. A resolution urges the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to restore the speedway “to safe high-speed racing conditions.” The resolution unanimously passed the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee. The Salt Flats are facing a depletion of salt that forced the cancellation of all 2015 racing events. The AMA is working with the Save the Salt Coalition, the Utah Alliance and other groups and government officials to devise a plan to save the Bonneville Salt Flats.

SEATTLE, Wash. – The first meeting of the state’s Motorcycle Safety Education Advisory Board is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 19 at the Moto Shed, 3208 Queen Anne Ave. North. The advisory board represents the state’s motorcyclists in the development of the Motorcycle Safety Program, including operator training programs, safety education and outreach efforts. The board meets a minimum of four times a year. Those attending the meeting will be able to share their views with the board.

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. – All-terrain-vehicle recreation brings about $7.8 million a year to the economy of Jackson County, according to a study reported by the Jackson County Chronicle. The majority of people using the 110 miles of local ATV trails come from outside the county and register a high rate of return visits, the study found. The study was a collaborative effort among the county government, the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce and a local ATV club. The trails hosted 23,750 visitors in 2015, including 21,600 for outside the county.

Industry News

PHILADELPHIA – The founders and equity holders of RevZilla Motorsports LLC and investment funds managed by J.W. Childs Associates LP have agreed to be joint equity holders of a newly formed holding company with investments in both RevZilla and Cycle Gear Inc., two of the nation’s leading retailers of apparel, accessories and parts for motorcycle enthusiasts. RevZilla and Cycle Gear will continue to operate as independent sister companies with headquarters in Philadelphia and Benicia, Calif. RevZilla was founded in 2007 as an e-commerce retailer for apparel, accessories and parts. Cycle Gear, founded in 1974, is a motorcycle products retailer operating more than 100 stores across the nation. Cycle Gear was acquired by J.W. Childs in January 2015. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Cycle Gear is an AMA Business Member.

MILAN, Italy – The GasGas motorcycle company will produce 2,000 dirt bikes in 2016 and 4,000 in 2018, the new owner announced during the EICMA Motorcycle Show. Torrot CEO Ivan Contreras said GasGas also will build 2,000 trials bikes and 1,000 Enduro bikes in 2016. The company hopes to develop a competitive bike for the Enduro market in 2017 and is working on an electric scooter. Torrot plans to invest 13 million euros ($14.3 million) in GasGas during the next three years.

International News

BHAGALPUR, India – Motorcyclists caught riding without a helmet will not be allowed to buy fuel, as well as facing fines and other penalties. Bhagalpur District Magistrate Adesh Titarmare enacted the new penalty after several motorcycle crashes were attributed to “non-use of helmets,” according to a report in the Times of India newspaper. Bhagalpur requires all motorcyclists and their passengers to wear helmets while riding.

GENOA, Italy – The mayor has decreed that Vespa motor scooters built before 1999 will be banned from the city’s streets for 12 hours each weekday to reduce air pollution. Genoa is the birthplace of Enrico Piaggio, who invented the Vespa. A report in The Telegraph, a British newspaper, says the decree infuriated Genoa’s 20,000 scooter riders, who mobilized on social media using a hashtag that translates as “Don’t touch my Vespa.”

AMA News

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – A 1975 BMW R75/6 modernized, tuned, styled and improved by custom bike builder Tony Prust of Analog Motorcycles in Chicago, Ill., will go to a fortunate AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame supporter in 2017. The bike, dubbed the AMA BMW R75GS by Prust, is being raffled to raise funds to support the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that oversees the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio. The Hall of Fame's mission is to promote motorcycling's heritage. Prust's AMA BMW R75GS joins a 1947 Indian Chief as 2016 Hall of Fame raffle bikes. To donate to the Hall of Fame and get a chance to win either, or both, bikes, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org. The donation is $5 per entry, five entries for $20. Entrants must be 18 years or older and a resident of the United States to win. The drawing will be held during the 2017 Mama Tried Motorcycle Show in Milwaukee.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – One lucky winner will ride away on a 2016 Zero DSR electric motorcycle just for entering the 2016 AMA Club 1924 Motorcycle Sweepstakes at one of the nation's major motorcycle rallies. The Zero DSR is an amped-up version of the Zero DS, delivering 56 percent more torque and 25 percent more power. AMA Club 1924, named in honor of the AMA's founding year, is the association's presence at these events, celebrating the fun of motorcycling, connecting with riders and looking back on the history of motorcycling in America. Throughout 2016, the AMA will be collaborating with partners to enhance members' experience at AMA Club 1924 locations, where anyone 18 or older can enter the sweepstakes. The AMA Club 1924 schedule includes:

Daytona Bike Week, Daytona Beach, Fla., March 4-13

Rolling Thunder in Washington, D.C., May 27-30

Americade in Lake George, N.Y., June 7-11

Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, N.H., June 11-19

Thunder in the Valley in Johnstown, Pa., June 23-26

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in Lexington, Ohio, July 8-10

The Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, S.D., Aug. 8-14

Ray Price Bike Fest in Raleigh, N.C., Sept. 23-25

PICKERINGTON, Ohio –Four AMA members got new motorcycles after participating in 2015 AMA sweepstakes and raffle promotions. The 2015 AMA Member Sweepstakes drawing winners are Brian Tadeo, of Jurupa Valley, Calif., and Richard Anderson of Santa Clara, Calif. Their names were chosen from a list of AMA members who joined or renewed their memberships during 2015. Tadeo won a Yamaha Super Tenéré. And Anderson is now the owner of a Suzuki Boulevard M109R. David Hurley of Millstone Township, N.J., won a Beta Dual Sport motorcycle. His name was drawn from the list of participants in the Beta National Dual-Sport Series, which features organized events covering miles of well-marked, challenging trail connected by scenic backcountry roads. The winner of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Raffle Bike, a 1986 Honda CR250R, is Ben Horgen of Rochester, Minn. Those joining or renewing their AMA memberships between Jan. 1, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2016, are automatically entered to win any of these 16 great prizes:

AMA News & Notes is a monthly publication compiled and edited by the American Motorcyclist Association Government Relations Department. Designed to inform motorcyclists of rights-related issues and events in the United States and around the world. AMA News & Notes welcomes your input. Suggestions and editorial contributions can be sent to AMA Government Affairs Editor, Jim Witters.

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